Overview

WebCADET has been developed to act as a decision support
tool for designers during the early (concept) stages of design. WebCADET is a
reinterpretation of the original CADET stand-alone solution developed by Paul
A. Rodgers.

During the early stages of design, the process of
generating concept sketches and checking them against the stated problem helps
to develop not only the solution, but it can also provide new and valuable
insights into the earlier stated problem. WebCADET supports this by providing a
structure for defining, constructing, recording and indexing product attributes
(statements of the design problem) in the users' own terms, and by providing
rapid feedback on the individual merits of the concept designs proposed. This
procedure is not intended to be exhaustive but its value is that it is quick
and effective in providing a guide for the relative strengths and weaknesses
between concept designs.

WebCADET comprises a number of product attributes which
have been defined through a range of methods including user interviews,
questionnaires, and from "past" projects. These attributes provide an
initial focus for the designer. WebCADET contains a large resource of expert
design knowledge and supporting information. The intention is that once authors
(i.e. contributors to design knowledge) make their rule-bases and supporting
multimedia material available on the WWW, be it on an intranet, extranet or the
Internet proper, a library of design knowledge and expertise will develop.